World Dairy Expo

Three local organizations host 200 youth for a day of agricultural tours.

by Amanda Smith, Hoard’s Dairyman Associate Editor

For many years it has been the pleasure of the Hoard’s Dairyman staff to work with the judging contests and National 4-H Dairy Conference youth. As you saw in our Hoards @ Expo blog earlier (www.hoards.com/HAE_blog-pre-judging), we hosted 300 individuals at the farm as a stop on the judging practice circuit. We wish the best of luck to each team competing today.

The pre-Expo tours continue for our group today. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. we, along with National Dairy Shrine and Nasco, were privy to host 200 4-H youth and adults that arrived in Madison, Wis., Sunday for the National 4-H Dairy Conference.

For many of them, coming from close to 30 states, it’s their first time venturing to Wisconsin, and for some it’s the first opportunity they had to travel outside their state’s border. Read more

Past WDE Collegiate Judging Contest High Individuals, Jered Haase and Kevin Ziemba, have taken on new roles in the judging ring.

by Taylor Pires, Hoard’s Dairyman Editorial Intern

Being part of a judging team can have its thrills and challenges. A solid team has put in hours upon hours of practice, has determination to succeed, and of course, a dedicated coach. Jered Haase and Kevin Ziemba are giving back, and using their knowledge and experiences to build up the next generation of successful dairy judges. Read more

Farm hosts judging teams on Sunday morning.

by Patti Hurtgen, Hoard’s Dairyman Online Media Manager

While the grounds in Madison, Wis., do not officially open until Tuesday to kick off World Dairy Expo, farms in southeast Wisconsin welcomed hundreds of dairy cattle judges, coaches and guests en route to the “Center of the Dairy Universe.”

Hoard’s Dairyman staff members prepared two Guernsey classes for 300 attendees on Sunday morning’s judging practice. We are just one of six herds who open their doors to judging teams for this organized event. The farms represent Brown Swiss, Jersey, Holstein and Guernsey breeds. Read more

Past WDE judging winners are keeping the tradition alive and in the family

By Taylor Pires, Hoard’s Dairyman Editorial Intern

Most young dairy enthusiasts have a passion for dairying because that is what the generation before them did and they want to continue the tradition. Likewise, there are many families who have continued to show and judge cattle because their love for it has been shared and passed down from generation to generation. While family ties to dairy cattle judging are common, it is unique for members of the same family to win High Individual in a World Dairy Expo judging contest. Read more